Weary Warrior
November 2, 2021
Sitting in my living room chair trying to grasp the day ahead, all I see is the laundry waiting on the couch to be folded, the groceries that need to be ordered and picked up from the store, the breakfast that needs to be made, the emails from work that need responses, the assignments that need grading, and my family waiting for me to get the day started with a joyful spirit. Oops, can’t forget soccer practice today… which kid was it? Did the time change?
As soon as my feet had hit the hardwood floors, I’d allowed a wave of to-do’s to overwhelm me. I was already beginning my day in a place God didn’t intend for me to start. I know God doesn’t want my days to be lived in a spirit of weariness, but more like a warrior ready to conquer. Such a magnificent idea, but how do I switch from one perspective to the other? Then it hit me that I’m still a warrior even in a spirit of weariness, because my trust is not in myself. It’s God who supplies my strength.
In all transparency, I wish I was writing from a place of rest and not weariness, but that just isn’t true. Many days, I do feel tired and worn down. But one essential thing I’m learning with God is the importance of community. In our moments of weariness, we must realize we are not alone. Other women are weary in their work. Weariness can come from the day-to-day tasks, a big project at work or even serving at church. In moments of weariness, we can sometimes feel we are the only ones tired from the demands of the day. But that simply isn’t the case. Realizing you don’t have to walk alone can in itself bring strength, and a Heavenly Father who’s created you to be a warrior can provide others to walk alongside you, pray for you and be a listening ear on the hard days. We must not allow lies to creep in and enable us to believe we are alone in our weariness when we seek community.
Last year, as many of us did during the pandemic, I walked through a difficult season of loneliness. In my case, a church split caused many fellow believers to disconnect, and it felt like a trusted community had broken. Women I cherished, served alongside and saw at children’s birthday parties were suddenly gone. In that season of loss, I desperately desired a community of women to walk alongside to pray with me. I remember crying out to God, why are you isolating me? His tender voice said, Angela, do you trust me? Do you trust me to bring you a community of women to pray for you and you for them? Is your loneliness a time for you to draw near to me? I will not allow you to walk alone forever! You’re a warrior in my eyes.
In the last several months, God came through and has provided community, bringing other women alongside me to restore my heart.
I share with you this example because if you’re in a season of weariness, you aren’t alone! You have a Heavenly Father who sees and loves you every second of every day. He’s there to listen when you need to cry out. If you’re seeking a community of women, trust that God will deliver what you need. As Paul reminds us in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
We pray for each woman in our community who may be feeling weary. If she is tired from the daily tasks and decisions, will you meet her in each moment of struggle? May she feel your Holy Spirit guiding and leading her in all that she has before her. If rest is needed, we pray that in your name that a path will be cleared so she can find it. Lord, strengthen her and bring the community to lift her up on the days when she is feeling worn out. We trust in your nearness! We pray for all the women here at Abundance to lean on you and seek your kingdom. Amen.
